Post Malone has always divided opinions. Undeniably successful, his legion of fans are joined by a seemingly equal array of haters – for some, he’s an idol; for others, a culture vulture. ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’ is dominated by duality, from the song titles – ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’ to ‘I Cannot Be (A Sadder Song)’ – down to the lyrical content, which toys between his reputation and reality.
It's an intriguing concept, but the reality is mixed, and oddly unfocussed. A blockbuster return, the album’s cast includes everyone from Doja Cat to Fleet Foxes, via The Weeknd, current features-favourite Gunna, Roddy Ricch, and the Kid LAROI. No one can deny Post Malone’s commercial pull, but ‘Twelve Carat Toothace’ often seems uncertain what to do with this illustrious past.
Opening with the confrontational ‘Reputation’ the record then segues into lockdown jammer ‘Cooped Up’, all sickly vocal effects and arena-level production. It’s brash but soulful, and one of the album’s stronger moments. Indeed, ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’ is often at its best when Post simply drops the pretence – the acoustic notes on ‘Lemon Tree’ or the refreshing openness of ‘Waiting For A Mirace’.
As a whole, though, it often seems confused, the arc weighed down mailed-in guest spots and obtuse collaborations. ‘Love/Hate Letter To Alcohol’ pivots between Post’s raps and – bizarrely – the voice of Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, while Doja Cat seems wasted on the frothy ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’.
‘Wasting Angels’ relishes those glossy 80s chords, a theme that returns on Weeknd link up ‘One Right Now; Abel has long since mastered his neon-tinted stadium atmospherics, but this feels like filler in his catalogue, a song that doesn’t match recent heights.
Closing with a raw voice note, Post Malone ends by harking back to periods of lockdown unease, and writer’s block. Indeed, it’s tempting to view the entire record through this lens; a more traditional 14 track run that we’re used to, it neither taps into the largesse of the modern streaming experience nor establishes the succinct album format of old. Neither one thing or another, the lack of definition on the project results in something quietly rebellious, but curiously unsatisfying.
5/10
Words: Robin Murray
– – –
– – –
